The present invention relates to a lid for a drinking cup, and more particularly to a lid which is so arranged that the beverage contained in the drinking cup may be drunk without removing the lid. Lids of this general type are known and the use thereof has evolved from the necessity for drinking beverages on the run while moving rapidly from one place to another or drinking beverages in a vehicle which may not ride smoothly.
Drinking cups lids have been developed to meet this problem and more particularly many types of drinking cup lids exist wherein a portion of the lid may be pulled back or torn back along weakening lines to provide a relatively smooth drinking opening so that the sloshing of the liquid inside can be controlled even while the beverage is being drunk. The lines bounding the opening are substantially but not necessarily radial of the lid extending only a short distance from the circumference and spaced angularly from each other by a distance which would provide a comfortable drinking opening. In such prior uses of the device, little or no regard has been given to a solution of problems which may arise from the tear-away strip itself. This tear-away strip or section which forms the opening may simply be folded back apparently out of the way. But because of the resiliency of the material of which the lid is made, the tendency is for this strip to bend back toward the opening resulting in interference with the drinking. It therefore has become common for the user to tear off the tail end of this fold-back strip which in any individual case creates no substantial problem but in mass use at various vehicle depots such as bus stations and rail road stations, the pile up of these tear-away strips becomes obnoxious and creates complaints and problems. If the strip is left in place, not only is there interference with the drinking of the beverage, but also the user who does not wish to tear off the strip and throw it away will be carressed at the tip of his nose by the strip which leads to unpleasantness in the utilization of the drinking cup. Moreover, this exposed strip will invariably have a film of liquid which may smear the user.
Some of the problems that relate to the utilization of drinking cup lids are illustrated in patents such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,848 or in prior U.S. Pat No. 3,994,411. In the latter, some attempt was made to get the the covering strip out of the way once it was opened. This was not fully successful. To store and hold back the covering strip was a little more than could be expected from someone who was drinking his beverage on the run or in a moving and bumpy vehicle.